Shutter Sisters

January Homework Assignment Update

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my self-imposed creative assignment. The two requirments were to: 1) Take a picture everyday that is colorful, cozy, cheerful, or just makes me smile. 2) Do something creative with my hands 5 days a week (no computer or camera). Some of you expressed interest in joining me in this quest for creative inspiration, so I thought I would check in with all of you and update you on my progress.

I’m finding that forcing myself to take pictures every day is challenging, but really good for me. It is tough to find subject matter that fits my own requirments right now. But I am always glad when I take the time to search. I put them in a Flickr set, which helps me see my progress. The second part of the assignment is a little tougher to adhere to, but I followed through and have done some fun things. The above painting is one that I had been meaning to start for months, and this project was the perfect kick start. I have also done some smaller-scale things, like just drawing in a sketchbook or creating magazine collages. With a week left in January, I am not feeling anxious to stop doing these things. It’s been a great creative outlet and I hope to continue.

So what have you been up to? If you participated in this particular project, I’d love to see the results. Or if you’d like to share anything else that is keeping you inspired during the winter months, please do!

Comments

  4. Your painting is wonderful! I love the texture and the colors are so relaxing. Very, Very beautiful. I’m working on a project that combines my photography with my love of crochet and quilting. Can’t post any photos because I intend to give these projects as gifts… and the intended recipients follow this blog. *waves to her family* It’s been a challenge to work out all the details of the compilation but I’m getting there.

  5. i too am doing a 365 of gratitude. your painting is beautiful paige! i love it. a watery horizon it looks like to me. very calming.

  6. my sister and i have been taking a photo a day. i think perhaps twice i fell down and she also had a slip but pretty much we stayed on track. and, thanks to you and some weird karma one day i signed up and have started a pen/ink water colour course at a local art gallery. i cannot draw but a very lovely old lady in my class showed me how to trace one of my own photos and so i am working on my own original piece. sort of. and i am having fun.

  7. I missed your first post, so I haven’t been doing this. In fact, I’ve been on a kind of hiatus from all things creative for a couple of months, which is good and bad. It’s been very restful, but I’m getting ready to be creative again. Your idea of doing something non-photography/non-computer sounds like a great idea.

  9. I love your painting, I have a huge canvas just calling out my name that I was supposed to do for my mantle, but I have not gotten started yet.

  10. I decided I needed to get pictures of my parents and my inlaws so I went to my mother n laws the other day and we did a shoot of how to make homemade noodles. The best part is I got to eat them that evening.

  14. That painting is so calming.

    I’ve been crafting, a lot, mostly for my etsy shop.

    I’m still working on the photo-a-day thing.

  15. You know, I had started out pretty strong, taking you up on this challenge, but I haven’t really followed through on the second part of it. I’ve cleaned house (which for me is creative, believe it or not!) and baked some cookies and spent some quality time with my girl, but it’s not too consistent.

    So here’s a link for the first part – that photo a day thing
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/8702729@N02/sets/72157611629894113/

    And a link for a bit of the second part – that creative thing that didn’t begin with the camera but asked for it later
    http://livingbygrace.blogspot.com/2009/01/and-sometimes-we-play.html

  17. Continually inspired by fellow bloggers and shutter sisters on flickr, I decided I haven’t done enough with b&w lately so I started 365 in b&w http://flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/sets/72157612224191236/detail/
    and a 52 Blessing project (that I’m behind in posting to). Also getting out to something other than these 4 walls helps me make it through the winter. Oh, and trying some "different" settings on the camera other than the usual is fun too http://gnubee.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/quick-tip-camera-settings/

  18. I have a lot of creative projects going the beginning of this year. I started a Project 365 Self-Portrait. I am keeping up on that, but I haven’t uploaded it. It is (so far) still in my computer. I am taking a picture a day of something I like or makes me feel good (and if it is colorful, so much the better). I am blogging every day (and have since November 1st). AND, I think I have done something with my hands at least 5 days a week. That one, I am not keeping such good track of, but that’s okay. At least, it is a consciousness I am carrying.

    I so appreciate this group. Thanks.

    http://whatwouldwandado.blogspot.com

  19. I just can’t do the shot a day – I’m not that inspired by my home and there are days I don’t get out. I’m going today to buy the supplies for a non-photography art project, which will probably turn into an art project as I will want to take photographs of it.

    beautiful shots.

  21. I’ve always wanted to paint. You are an inspiration. Your painting looks great.
    I am in the beginning stage of picking out sewing patterns to begin my spring wardrobe

  23. I started out really well and then I got sick. But I’ve adhered to the resaoning behind the challenge and even when not feeling well and able to go find a photo, finding one in my archives that I had never shared. I have definitely been managing the creative away from camera and computer. I now have some fingerless mittens in my camera bag, a baby sweater almost finished and have done some collage work and sketching. Wow, it feels good to look back and see what I have done.

  25. well goodness, I missed this challenge! I love that I have seen so much collective energy around daily creative endeavors. My daily creative endeavors have been centered around a blog I started focusing on love and spreading love in the world:
    http://lovingtheexperiment.blogspot.com

    one is to take a photo of something I love every day-flickr stream here:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandelionseeds/sets/72157612044100739/

    and I have been doing art every day
    http://lovingtheexperiment.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-don-know-what-to-call-this-post.html

    like this piece:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandelionseeds/3216808504/

    absolutely lovely photos and art.

  28. My no-hands & no-computer creativity has been writing. I have a moleskin that I carry with my constantly… If I’m not writing in it, I’m jotting down notes and ideas to write about later. Some of this writing transfers to my blog (http://aliandsethinthecity.blogspot.com/) , and some stays within the pages of the book. I do need to make more time for other creative outlets (my next move is an art journal, but I’m not there yet!)

    With inspiration from this site and the contributors, I have started my photo-a-day project. You can find it here:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/34467943@N07/sets/72157612757619996/

    It’s fairly new. I’m still in a bit of a challenge-state of being able to juggle life and get a picture to post, despite the fact that I have carried my camera with me everywhere for quite a while… this is definitely a new challenge!!

  30. Starting a photography based blog has been my creative outlet for the past two months…I hope to incorporate a 365 photo a day within this soon…and I’ve started a short photography class…stilll…I do need to do something creative other than with the computer…